LAFAYETTE, La. - Lightning in the area forced play in Thursday night's Sun Belt Conference Tournament baseball game between the Florida Atlantic University and Troy University to be suspended. The game was suspended with the Owls batting in the top of the ninth and the score tied 1-1.

As expected, the game was a pitchers' duel between FAU's Jeremy Strawn and Troy's Shane McCain, with both team scoreless through four innings. Thomas Austin relieved McCain to start the fifth inning and the Owls immediately took advantage. Ricky Santiago singled back up the middle then advanced to second on a Mitch Morales walk. Santiago moved up to third on a Trojan wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Nathan Pittman.

Troy's run came in the bottom of the sixth. After a leadoff walk, a double down the line in left allowed the tying run to score. Strawn was able to get out of the inning with no further damage. Kevin Alexander entered the game and was in a bases loaded, one out jam in the bottom of the eighth when back-to-back stellar defensive plays by Santiago preserved the tie. Santiago had a single in the top of the ninth and Pittman was at the plate when play was halted.

Action will resume from the point of the stoppage at noon eastern on Friday. The winning team will have the rest of the day off, while the losing squad will return to the field at 5 p.m. eastern to face Arkansas State.

Live stats of the suspended game will be available at www.fausports.com.